Happy Christmas Season!

I know....no one says that.  But I'm so excited the Christmas Season is here!! It is defintely my favorite holiday!:)

I hope everyone had a fabulous long weekend!  We did! 

The tree is up, the house is decorated and I've got some really exciting things coming up around here!

If you aren't reading this in a reader, then you may have noticed the new layout!  I love changing for the holiday or season.  :)

Starting Wednesday, don't forget....my 12 Days of Christmas!!!  There will be some crafts...some recipes...some decorating....some traditions....lots of good stuff! :)

*************

Then....HUGE happenings around here!  Doodle is getting a room redo!!!

LOTS and LOTS of organization planned!! 

Her room does not work for her.  Plus she's growing up!  So a more mature room is in the works!  And did I mention....organization?  :) 

Stay tuned for those happenings! :)

**************

So, that's it for today.  I'm busy getting ready for the 12 Days of Christmas!!

See you Wednesday!!! :)

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope you each get to enjoy the closeness of family and recognize all you have to be thankful for today!

I am SO blessed! 

And I am thankful for each and everyone of those blessing in my life!

For, my Doodle!  She brings love, fun, laughter, joy and purpose to my life!

For my boys.  They love us unconditionally, they make us laugh and they melt my heart. 

Although I never dreamed I'd be writing this....I'm even thankful for little Simba (aka Simmy).  He makes me smile every single day when I call his name (in a most obnoxious way) and he always pokes his head out his hidey hole and looks up, as if to say "Hi Momma".

I'm thankful for my family because, well, they are just awesome.  They are kind and caring, funny, and they were given to me.  Not like a family you are born into, I don't see that family anymore.  This family was truly a gift hand selected from God.

My home.  I wasn't sure that was a dream that would ever come true.  Then it did!  I'm so thankful!

\

And I'm definitely thankful for my friends!  I've been blessed with amazing friends.

And that includes YOU!!  My blog friends have been a wonderful added delight to my life! :) 

Be thankful everyday....but especially today!! :)

Until next time... 

Oh My Gourdness!!

Ok...so...remember on Monday I posted my wonderfully sarcastic post about Martha Stewart (which you can check out here if you missed it)?

Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, I really do like Martha!  She just cracks me up sometimes.  Oh, and I'm inherently sarcastic anyway.  :)

And in that post I pointed out Martha's wonderful gourd bowls...where I may have mentioned that we don't do this in the real world...although I really wanted to try.

Here is where I insert my foot into my mouth!

Here is where I tell you I was totally wrong!

Real people apparently DO indeed make gourd bowls and all kinds of other neat gourd-ish things!!

Robin at Crafting with Gourds kindly let me know this!  No really....she was super sweet AND she led me to her work at Amish Gourds where you can actually buy gourds all ready for the painting or whatever your goud-ish little heart desires!!

We CAN be like Martha afterall!!! :)

But here Robin takes all the hard work out for you...or not if that's what you desire.

You can buy unfinished gourds to do yourself.

Or you can buy beauties like this birdhouse! 

Which I noticed is on sale right now for $27.75.

Wouldn't that make a unique Christmas gift!

Or this beautifully painted bird house.

Or this bird feeder!

Or if you so inclined, you could take on a project of your own with one of the kits offered at Robin's website.  Like this starter kit:

She even has some unfinished ones that are shaped like apples!

And eggs!  Is it weird I totally envisioned a gourd laying little eggs for these?

How cool are those?! 

Oh...what's that you ask?  Bowls?  Why YES...Robin even carries unfinished BOWLS too!! ;)

And for a little more gourd inspiration...

These pictures are all courtesy of the Annual Gourd Festival website.  

And last but not least I saw this one on Techy3 Design Studio. 

Um....hello!!  How fantastic are those!?! 

So, I owe all gourds (and Martha) my apologies.  Real people DO make gourd bowls...and Robin makes it easy for us.

Go check out Amish Gourds! 

And if you do (or have done) a groud project...let me know! :)

Until next time....

Holiday Bazaar Review

I know you've been sitting there just waiting for an update on my very first craft show!!

What? 

You have lives outside of reading my blog?

Fine.  Be that way.

If it makes you feel any better, we don't plan to do anymore until spring.  So, you don't actually have to hear about another one for awhile. :)

Ok, so, we learned alot!  And we really enjoyed it!

We didn't sell a ton...but we sold a few pieces each.

It was REALLY small.  There were only 2 of us with handmade goodies!! 

One lady had pretty potholders....and then us.

Two others didn't even show up or call!  Rude!

It was mostly what I would call home show vendors....like Stella and Dot, Pampered Chef, Scentsy, and a few others.

So, at first we felt very out of place!!  Here we are in swanky-ville...among home show vendors....with our kid (isn't she adorable...and just ONE WEEK after surgery!)....

....and our handmade goodies, that we weren't sure if they were 'good enough' or not in the first place.

For the first two hours, we had alot of 'walk by's'...no real action.

Then all the sudden people started warming up and talking and buying!  Plus vendors starting walking around and chatting.  And the vibe turned around!  We were so thankful!

Thank goodness Joanie was prepared...because I was NOT!  And nothing went right for me even the night before when I tried to crunch.  My Cricut wouldn't cut through the paper no matter what setting I put it on!  (Note to self:  You still need to work on that little problem!)

So, eventually I just gave up and had to wave the white flag.  But here are some pictures from our table:

As I said, we didn't sell much, but just selling 'something' made us feel pretty good.  All in all, we are considering our first show a success!

I have a couple custom pieces requested if I can find the right paper.

And Joanie had a lady talk to her about possibly having her put her flowers in her salon that's about to open!!

So, we won't complain....plus we learned alot!

Thank you for all your patience and help when it came to this show! You're the best! :)

Oh, and I have a few other things that were there at the show that I will show up in the 12 Days of Christmas starting December 1st! ;)

Until next time....

Martha - Oh how we love to hate you!

Martha, Martha, Martha.....Stewart that is.

We hate her.  But we love her.  We love to hate her.

She makes us feel completely inadequate because we can't all be perfectionist like her.

SUDDEN INTERRUPTION - Have you ever seen her daughters show?  The one where she watches her mom's shows and tears her apart?  It is HILARIOUS!

Anywho...where was I?

Oh, yes.  I don't strive to be like Martha...but if it happened naturally, I wouldn't turn talent like that down. :)

I mean....how can you deny talent of a woman who made a lamp out of a gourd....and even made it LOOK GOOD!

Although, Martha, I think I could have lived without the twigs coming out of the top. :\

But, the pinecone finial...now THAT Martha, that is ingenious!

Actually Martha, even you surprised me by all your pinecone goodness! 

I mean....FLOWERS OUT OF PINECONES!?  I'm TOTALLY in love!!

And then you go and do stuff like this, Martha,and make me feel, once again, completely inadequate.

I mean, Martha!  Gourd Bowls?  Hand made gourd bowls?  Martha...we don't do this in the real world!  And yet....I really want to try!

And ok, pumpkins.  I can totally rock the pumpkin flower planter!

And might even be able to handle the GORGEOUS pumpkin chandelier.

But Martha.....then you go and create....pumpkin sconces!?  For real?  

Wreaths.  Now those are something even I can do.

Like vintage paper wreaths.

Or cornhusk wreaths.

I can definitely handle the fall foliage leaf.

Actually...scratch that!  Those leaves are placed WAY to perfectly!  Nope...can't do the fall foliage wreath.

But cornhusk covered votives!!  I CAN do that!

And an acorn mirror is right up my alley.

But then, Martha.  You go and do this!!!

Cornhusk flowers!  That look almost real!!  I mean, come on Martha!  WHO can do that?

And Martha, sometimes...not always....but I mean, just every once in awhile....you lose touch with all reality.  Like this...

Martha.  My dear, dear, Martha.  While I appreciate the simplicity of these mini cornucopia favors.  I mean, so simple, yes, even I could do this. 

Hon....really?  As FAVORS?  Decor...maybe.  But....favors?

I'm not sure how I would react to a little 'thing' of NUTS as a gift! 

Not peanuts, Martha.  We're talking....Large honkin', I need special tools, I'm not even sure what to do with them....NUTS!

Martha.....NOBODY wants a tiny little sack of HUGE nuts!  Sorry!

And it's about that time, Martha, that I realize........you have issues even MEDS can't help!!

So, if it's ok with you Martha, I think I'll just stay me in my imperfect world. :)

Until next time....

My Favorite Things - It's a Party!

I just found out that Melissa over at 320 Sycamore is having a party today!!!

It's her annual Favorite Things Party!!

I was going to do a post like this next month...but I can't miss out on a party!  So, you get this post early! :)

Five of my favorite things (store bought things...of course family is first)!

ONE


Philosophy's Amazing Grace perfume! 

I am allergic to most perfumes.  But this is the one perfume I can wear without giving me a migraine and it smells so clean and perfect!

It runs around $40...for me that's quite a splurge. :)

TWO

Jim Holtz Distressing Ink!  Especially in Walnut!

You should have known that...I talk about it all the time.  I can't stop myself from distressing everything I touch. :)

They run just under $5...but I always use a coupon!

THREE

Bare Minerals Foundation and Mineral Veil!

Seriously, I used to be the pancake, super thick make-up girl.  But when I tried Bare Mineral makeup...I'll never go back!  It's so light, there is never a make-up line, it covers really well (even though at first I was afraid because it was so light like a powder).  I also use their blush...although I'm not as big a fan of their eye make-up.

It runs somewhere around $20...but it lasts for.ev.er!

FOUR

My purse!!

I purchased this purse several months ago on Etsy from a shop called, A Touch of Stardust.  And I completely ADORE it!!!

She does fantastic quality work!!  It has pockets inside, quilting...and isn't that little flower addition just to die for!! :)  She has tons of fun fabrics and different styles too.

I will DEFINITELY purchase from her again!

And lastly:

FIVE

Panera Bread Chai Tea Latte!

Oh my friends!!!  I will never turn down Starbucks.  But when it comes to Chai Tea (I hate coffee)...you will never find better than Panera's!!!  They have the perfect amount of spices, it's milky, it's warm....YUMMY!!!  It's the best!!

There you have it...my favorite things!! :)

I'm posting this over at 320 Sycamore!!  Come over and join in!

Until next time....